Higher.
I launched myself upward. The fingers of my left hand hooked around one of the landing skids. My body erupted in pain as my feet lifted off the ground, then, as the helicopter pitched swiftly to the left, I lost my grip.
Fell.
Hit the ground.
“No,” I screamed again and scrambled to my feet.
The helicopter cut through the air, heading out over the ocean.
Taking Ronnie away.
I ran, heart pounding, head roaring. Fury and fear destroyed any hope for rational thought.
I chased it until the water splashed at my shins, my knees, my thighs.
And only then did I stop, my stare locked on the black dot growing smaller in the sweeping blue sky, my world ripping apart.
“Lucas?”
I jerked around, the scared female voice tearing at my sanity.
Ronnie’s mom stood behind me, the water breaking at her ankles, tears streaming down her face, streaking her makeup. “Lucas?” she said again, my name a strangled sob.
Hurrying through the water to her, I cupped my hands around her shoulders and met her wide stare. “I will get her back. I promise.”
Movement behind her dragged my stare from her tormented face, my chest tightening at the sight of William wading into the surf, expression dazed, confused. Unhinged.
Returning to Janice, I squeezed her shoulders again. “I will find her. I will bring her back.”
“Your fault,” William mumbled, lurching closer to us. “Your fault…”
More movement hooked my attention, and a tsunami of dark relief swept through me. Fluffy strode toward us, face set, blood trickling from a hole in his tuxedo jacket high in his left shoulder. Behind him, Tannah ran toward Lila.
“Your fault…” William Underwood mumbled again, unfocussed eyes sliding to me. “My baby girl… Your f—”
He threw himself at me, but Fluffy halted his attack with a swift arm and immovable strength. “Go check on Dr. Winchester,” Fluffy said to me as he held William. “And Groot.”
Dropping my hands from Janice’s shoulders, I ran out of the surf and up the sand to Lila’s motionless form.
“Lila?” I dropped to my knees at her side, running a rapid inspection over her. No sign of a bullet entry. No blood. But also no movement.
“She has a pulse,” Tannah said, her voice calm and very much in control. Her paramedic’s voice, a distant part of my mind suspected. “And no discernible bullet wounds.”
I flicked her a glance before letting out a ragged laugh. A pulse. Thank fuck.
“Dr Winchester?” I said, pressing Lila’s arm. “Hey, Doc? Lila?”
Nothing.
And then a cough. A groan. A muttered “fuck” and Lila opened her eyes, wincing as she pressed a hand to her ribcage, just below her heart. “I knew that vest would one day come in handy,” she said, the words a raspy whisper.
“You’re wearing a vest under the dress?” Surprise replaced the calm in Tannah’s voice.
She winced again, squinting up at Tannah. “I wear one every time I’m in public. But the one I’m wearing now looks like it belongs in a Victoria’s Secret catalogue.” She turned to me. “How’s Ronnie? Did you get the…” She trailed off, her eyebrows dipping as my face told her everything.
Shoving herself to her feet, she grabbed my wrist, scanning the beach. “Where… Did someone take… Oh God, is that…”